FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 23, 2012) — The Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) debuted its “ExploreKYHistory” smartphone application this summer with a statewide Civil War tour. Now the War of 1812 tour is available on “ExploreKYHistory.”

Based on the Kentucky Historical Marker Program, the app connects Kentucky communities by combining the history behind each community-driven historical marker, related items in the KHS collections and user-submitted images and stories into mapped points of interest. Related historical markers across the Commonwealth are then grouped together into tours.

The Kentucky Historical Marker Program, administered by KHS in cooperation with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, tells Kentucky’s story through the people, places and events that have shaped local communities across the Commonwealth. These markers highlight the importance of place in Kentucky’s collective history, in order to build strong communities for the future. The markers are on-the-spot history lessons that make connections between history, place and historical evidence housed in the Commonwealth’s many historical organizations. Through the program, Kentucky’s history is made accessible to the public on markers along the state’s roadways.

The Explore Kentucky History smartphone application is available free of charge at iTunes and Google Play. Users who have already downloaded the app will have immediate access to the War of 1812 tour and all other tours released in the future. Regional tours and an Abraham Lincoln tour are set to be released next year.

KHS is the administrative agency for the War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission, an 18-member body established by the Kentucky legislature in 2010.